Anne Keothavong today became the first British woman for 26 years to reach the semi-finals of a WTA clay-court event as she swept past Ioana Raluca Olaru in Poland.

Jo Durie last achieved the feat at the 1983 French Open, losing in three sets to eventual runner-up Mima Jausovec, of Yugoslavia.

Although Keothavong's run has been in the less prestigious Warsaw Open, the world No56 certainly looked impressive today, cruising through 6-0, 6-1 against the Romanian qualifier. She dominated her 20‑year-old opponent from the first point with a clinical performance and is shaping up nicely ahead of the French Open.

Tomorrow the 25-year-old will face world No39 Alona Bondarenko after the Ukrainian thumped former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Britain's Alex Bogdanovic lost 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 to Somdev Devvarman in the second qualifying round for the French Open today.

Bogdanovic, at 198 in the world, is 60 places below the Indian.